1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air bag system for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known an air bag system mounted on an automobile as a safety device for a passenger in which the passenger is prevented from being injured in case of a collision thereof. The air bag system, provided with an air bag unit having an inflator and air bag, is disposed behind an instrument panel through an opening thereof in front of the passenger's seat. In the air bag system, the inflater is actuated to produce gas to develop the air bag for protecting the passenger's head and the breast when a collision occurs.
Around the opening is provided a cover member or an air bag lid which is continuous from a surface of the instrument panel. The air bag lid is opened as the air bag is inflated.
In order to smoothly open the air bag lid as the air bag is inflated, there is provided a hinge mechanism having a transverse pivotal axis , connecting the air bag lid with the instrument panel and including such as an arcuated hinge member disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 63-176749, laid open to the public in 1988 or a plurality of panel hinge members as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 64-7055, laid open to the public in 1989. In order to keep the air bag lid at the closed position, there has been used a fitting structure provided with a resilient fastener, a projection formed on the air bag lid to be engaged with the fastener for connecting the air bag lid with a body member as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 63-176749, laid open to the public in 1988.
In some automobiles, the instrument panel is designed to be continuous from a side door line for looking good in a manner that the air bag lid is made arcuate with opposite side ends thereof being projected rearwardly. Therefore, such air bag lid cannot be properly opened as the air bag is inflated.
In an air bag system having the fitting structure with the fastener and the projection, the projection of the air bag lid may hit the passenger as it is opened.